Shloka 18

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनषष्टितमः सर्गः

Maricha’s Mimic Cry and the Rama–Lakshmana–Sita Confrontation

Devanagari script

सङ्केताद्भरतेन त्वं रामं समनुगच्छसि।क्रोशन्तं हि यथात्यर्थं नैवमभ्यवपद्यसे।।।।

Transliteration

saṅketād bharatena tvaṃ rāmaṃ samanugacchasi | krośantaṃ hi yathātyarthaṃ naivam abhyavapadyase ||

Translation

เจ้าคงตามพระรามมาเพราะสัญญาณของภรตะ; เพราะแม้พระองค์จะร้องเรียกด้วยความทุกข์ร้อนยิ่ง เจ้าก็มิได้รีบพุ่งไปหาพระองค์ดังที่ควร

Word by Word

• रिपुः: enemy
• रिपुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• प्रच्छन्नचारी: moving in disguise
• प्रच्छन्नचारी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pracchanna + cārī (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक + कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya: ‘moving/acting (चारी) concealed (प्रच्छन्न)’ qualifying रिपुः/त्वम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st), Singular

• मदर्थम्: for my sake
• मदर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad + artha (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक + प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘my sake/purpose’ (मद्-र्थ) used adverbially

• अनुगच्छसि: follow
• अनुगच्छसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√gam (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राघवस्य: of Raghava (Rama)
• राघवस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• अन्तरप्रेप्सुः: seeking an opportunity
• अन्तरप्रेप्सुः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antara + prepsu (प्रातिपदिक + कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘seeking (प्रेप्सु, desiderative adjective from √āp/प्राप) an opening/interval (अन्तर)’

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: enad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• अभिपद्यसे: approach/attend to
• अभिपद्यसे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√pad (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 2nd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

Context

'Since you are not reaching out to Rama who is helplessly crying for his rescue, you must have followed Rama, instructed by Bharata (to do him harm)'৷৷

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Bharata

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma cautions against suspicion without evidence; fear can distort perception and lead to unjust blame, which violates truth (satya) and fairness.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā interprets Lakṣmaṇa’s hesitation/constraint as betrayal and imagines a political conspiracy involving Bharata.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Negatively by contrast: the need for trust and right discernment; the verse shows how panic undermines these virtues.